The upcoming Europa League clash between Turkey’s Beşiktaş and Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv, originally scheduled to be played in Istanbul on November 28, will now take place at a neutral venue in Hungary, UEFA announced on Monday.
The match will be held at the Nagyerdei Stadium in Debrecen, following the Turkish government’s decision not to host the fixture amid recent unrest. This move comes after violent incidents involving Maccabi Tel Aviv fans during their last Europa League game in Amsterdam, where at least five supporters were injured following a heavy 5-0 defeat to Ajax.
Beşiktaş confirmed on social media that Hungary was the only country willing to stage the match. However, Hungarian authorities have decided the game will be played behind closed doors, with no spectators allowed.